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Rainforest Alliance Carved Wood Program
Background
In the past decade, considerable time, energy and financial resources have been devoted to an international effort to place the forest industry on a more sustainable footing. A major achievement of this movement has been development of a system for independent, third party certification of well-managed forests. Within this system, most of the emphasis has been placed on certifying dimensional lumber, and to date, little progress has been made in the certification of other wood and non-wood products derived from forests.
Though they receive little attention from conservationists, small wood carvings made from selected species are having far-reaching, negative impacts on natural forests around the world. A quick look around will reveal that wood carvings are everywhere. Some are made from endangered woods, others are not. Many of the finest and most attractive woods used in carving are from tropical species that are either slow growing or which occur in low population densities. Their continued use over time is leading to an almost systematic elimination of the species. Often these trees are nesting places for birds and animals that are now endangered as a result of lost habitat. In some cases, harvesting for carvings opens up the forest to other uses, leading to degradation of the forest ecosystem over time. In many cases, the harvest is technically illegal, yet it continues. Almost always, artisan carvers at the lowest income levels depend on the raw material for their livelihood.
A surprising number of carvings made from tropical woods end up in the international trade. These range from small pieces that sell for a few dollars to high-end carvings with very impressive price tags. A large portion of carvings are also sold in the country of origin to visiting tourists hailing from North America and Europe. Often, such buyers are unaware of where the wood used in the carving comes from, not to mention the negative impacts that its harvest might have had on dwindling tropical forests.
Certification and Product Labeling: A Market-based Solution?
Few consumers want to be identified as directly responsible for forest degradation and destruction. Increasingly, the certification movement allows them to exercise buying power in favor of woods harvested from well-managed forests. Though to date certification has not been extended to wood carvings in a significant way, such a development is sorely needed and could have a potentially far-reaching impact on conservation of carving species and the forests in which they occur. A product label would allow consumers to distinguish between carvings made from wood from a well-managed source versus those that are not. Carvers producing from well-managed sources could be rewarded through retention of markets otherwise lost, increased sales to environmentally sensitive consumers, and perhaps a slightly higher sales price.
The Rainforest Alliance Carved Wood Program
To address this need, the Rainforest Alliance has initiated a carved wood program. Working with partners around the world, the Alliance will help carvers to switch from wood species that are endangered, or species whose harvest is having a negative impact on high conservation value forests, to alternative species from managed sources. The program will have several components including Research & Program Development, Certification & Labeling Services, and Buyer Awareness & Product Promotion.
About Programs in Development
Tourism | Cut Flowers and Ferns | Carved Wood
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